Disinfecting the piano keys

[Bob]

What do you use to everyone from spreading germs?

I once saw a student spit on their hands and rub them them together before they got down to some good old fashioned piano playing.  Turned my stomach since I knew the kid had played the piano before (Was this the first time they spit?) and I had just been playing that piano 10 minutes before they sat down. 

I also had a teacher that was ready with some bleach water or something the moment you were done playing -- I think the teacher disinfected the keys after each student.  Seemed a little on the rude side since the teacher did this right in front of the student.  ( Cough, cough.... "Did any of my leprosy germs get on your piano, teacher?"  )

So what do you use, or don't you?    What's safe to use on those keys?

How often do you disinfect?

[Bob]

related
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,11241.0.html

[pianobabe_56]

My teacher doesn't disinfect the keys--she disinfects our hands! She keeps a bottle of that anti-bacterial hand-washing stuff that just rubs dry on the piano. We put it on before and after!

[jeremyjchilds]

I keep that alcohol based disinfgectant right by the piano...

[gorbee natcase]

I am a terrible person, I use furniture pollish,and it has not done any harm.

[leahcim]

What do you use to everyone from spreading germs?

Antibodies

[amanfang]

I usually use Lysol wipes during cold season.  They're pretty damp, so I wipe off the keys with the wipe to disinfect them, and then I dry them off with a paper towel or something.

[quantum]

The instructions with my piano says not to use alcohol based cleanears because they may dry out the keys. 

I ususally use a dry cloth, and evern now and then and damp cloth with plain water. 

It's much better to disinfect the hands than the keys. 

[aya_heller]

My teacher doesn't disinfect the keys... as far as I know =P  I'm always the first student of the day though.  Hohoho

One time I was sick though, and I was coughing into my hands and he made me go buy him some lysol stuff for him.  He told me just to barge in on the lesson after mine to give it to him 

[Astyron]

I make every one of my students wash their hands with soap and water before we start the lesson.  This doesn't help if they cough on their hands during a lesson (or pick their nose which happens occasionally).  A little lysol on a cloth swept across the keys won't hurt them.

[donjuan]

I once saw a student spit on their hands and rub them them together before they got down to some good old fashioned piano playing.  Turned my stomach since I knew the kid had played the piano before (Was this the first time they spit?) and I had just been playing that piano 10 minutes before they sat down. 

thats disgusting!!
why dont you ask the kid why they have to do that? This isnt gymnastics class!

[Astyron]

*laughing*  ONe of my former students came to a lesson once and kicked off her shoes to be more comfortable (shoes are optional at my house, unless they are pedaling).  We played one song and were talking about something in the piece when she crossed one leg over the other and started to pick between her toes.  I watched her and smiled and then she went to play another song and I said, "Wait, wait, stop.  Don't touch those keys.  I don't need toe jam cooties on my piano keys, thank you."  She laughed and said "Ha, ha..right".  I then told her I was serious, that she needed to wash her hands again.  She said "I don't have to do that.."  and I said "Uh.. yes, you do.  Wash or the lesson can be over, you choice."  (you see why she's a former student now.  She, her brother, and her parents were all very disrespectful people who liked to try walking all over people).  CAn you imagine though?  Pick your toes then play piano. *giggles*

[liszt-essence]

I also had a teacher that was ready with some bleach water or something the moment you were done playing -- I think the teacher disinfected the keys after each student.  Seemed a little on the rude side since the teacher did this right in front of the student.  ( Cough, cough.... "Did any of my leprosy germs get on your piano, teacher?"  )

LMAO I'm seriously going to consider to make a sketch out of this and film it lol(im going to make sketches with friends and film 'em)

[okietransplant]

I try to make each student use the antibacterial gel before they play, but sometimes I forget.  I have made students wash their hands if they put fingers in their mouths or up their noses.  And I have wiped the keys down after kids cough on them. 

I was monitoring at a festival once, and a kid brought his own wipes and wiped down the piano before he played.  He said he was highly allergic to peanuts and he was afraid the kids before him had it on their hands! His teacher thought he was being a little overboard.

[pianowolfi]

LMAO I'm seriously going to consider to make a sketch out of this and film it lol(im going to make sketches with friends and film 'em)

Hee hee. May we all watch them on youtube one day then?

[liszt-essence]

Hee hee. May we all watch them on youtube one day then?

For sure ^^

[cora]

I think you can make too much of this issue. The student has come from school or other places where there are tons of germs on the doorknobs. They haven't washed their car door handles in how long?

Kids are very determined to catch every cold that passes along and then bring it to me, too.

How concerned should we be about the possibility of a germ?

Only SARS scared me enough to consider this a really important issue for a short time.

[pianowelsh]

I was just considering this as most of my students have just had colds and I wonder whether all having contact with the keys this may be a potential environmental health hazard!?

[Bob]

I'm leaning toward the alcohol soap.  Have the squirt it on their hands before they touch the keys.

Then wipe the keys off when they are gone.  I was kind of insulted by the teacher who did that in front of me.

The kid who I saw spit on his hands was in special ed.  I saw it from across the room.  I guess he thought he was going to get down to business and get some work done.  Very gross.  But it really made me think how many other pianos I'd touched without being of someone doing somethign like that (or worse).

[leahcim]

Only SARS scared me enough to consider this a really important issue for a short time.

Because dying of in any of the myriad other ways would be OK, but not SARS?

I watched an interesting documentary tonight about parasites and one about the early development of vaccines.

Bob probably wouldn't sleep well again though so I won't go into details (or worse)

A few years of clean water, parasite free food, inoculation and antibiotics that still work and what a bunch of wimps we have become.

Don't worry, chances are high we'll die of something self inflicted and completely preventable like eating or drinking too much. Or perhaps, for those of us who take care of our health, being eaten by the 15 stone 8 year old of someone else

[afamee]

But it really made me think how many other pianos I'd touched without being of someone doing somethign like that (or worse).

Sir, with all due respect since you are not dead yet why are you all complaining. We here in America are too hygiene conscious sometimes that it makes me wonder... What is our immune system built for then. I I think we should relax sometimes and let the immune system do what it does best. Else when the real deal comes, it wont be ready to fight because its weak. you get it?